Safety

No matter what part of the country you live in, wild or feral animals pose a serious risk to dogs and other domesticated animals. The specific wild animals you might encounter will depend on your region and whether you’re living in a rural area or a city, but some of the most common culprits include coyotes, raccoons, snakes, skunks, scorpions, rats, and porcupines. These animals aren’t “mean” by nature, but they are predators. They may attack if they believe your dog is threatening them or encroaching on their territory. So how do you keep your canine friend safe from the

Tell me if this sounds familiar. You’re doing some housework inside while your dog is safely hanging out in your backyard, barking every once in a while at interesting odors or offending sounds. Everything is normal until suddenly the barking is coming from a different direction — your front door! Confused, you get up to see what’s going on and are shocked to see that your dog has gotten out. Thank goodness she ran to the front door and started barking, because she could have gotten herself into some serious trouble. How to keep your dog from escaping is a

If you live in a rural area, then you’re probably already aware of possible wildlife dangers from predators like mountain lions and coyotes. And if you live in a big city, you might think that such threats are the last thing you’d have to worry about — but you’d be wrong. For example, in some places in the southwestern U.S., mountain lions prowl the city streets with one of them, P-22 in Los Angeles, becoming a local celebrity. But in this article, we’re discussing coyotes, which are even more prevalent in cities than mountain lions. They live throughout Canada, the

In many parts of the world, when winter rolls around it brings freezing weather with it. Along with the cold comes another danger for our dogs: hypothermia, which is a dangerous drop in body temperature. The name comes from the Greek words “hypo,” meaning under, and “therm,” meaning heat. While the condition can affect dogs and humans, it can affect dogs more severely both because they are generally smaller than people and because a dog’s normal body temperature is higher than ours — in fact, when a human’s body temperature reaches what is normal for a dog, this is called

Maybe your dog bolts as soon as you open the front door — even if he was nowhere to be seen before you opened it. Or she won’t stop digging under the fence to escape your backyard. However they get out, dogs that run away are no laughing matter. They could get hit by a car, attacked by a dangerous animal, or placed in a shelter where their people never find them. Why do dogs engage in this dangerous behavior? Below, you’ll find several reasons as well as tips on what you can do to stop it. Trying to Get

Whether you prefer the simplicity of Cesar’s colorful nylon training leads or need the advanced assistance of the Pack Leader Collar, the principles behind both are the same. Watch now as trainer and Dog Psychology Center Director Jennifer Gray shows Andre Millan the ropes when it comes to using slip-leads. Which collar do you use for walking your dog? Like 0

Rabies is arguably the oldest infectious disease known to humankind, with references to it going as far back as the 24th century BCE. For four thousand years, being infected meant death, whether it was a human or another mammal. This changed in 1885, when Louis Pasteur and Emile Roux successfully tested a rabies vaccine on a human subject, who went on to live another 55 years. At the same time, the vaccine began to be used on dogs. In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control reported there were no more cases of canine-specific rabies in the United States — only

You probably already know some of the foods people eat that can be dangerous for dogs, such as chocolate, but you might not know that a number of seemingly healthy fruits and vegetables should be avoided as well. Here is a list of eight different types of produce that can be toxic food for dogs. Grapes, raisins, and currants They’re a great human snack, but grapes and raisins are one of the most dangerous types of foods your pup can eat. Consuming as few as four grapes or raisins can cause irreversible kidney damage to a 20-pound pooch. Within hours

It’s probably a dream of a lot of dog owners to have a place with a nice fenced-in yard where their dogs can play and explore, but just because that yard is walled off doesn’t mean that it can’t be a dangerous place. There are potential risks — animal, human, and other — that every dog owner should be aware of. Animal dangers Even in a big city, there may be predators about. Coyotes, known to attack and kill smaller dogs, have become common all over North America and in some places have apparently crossbred with wolves, which makes them

Looking to take your dog on a vacation? A camping trip is a great option. Many pups enjoy spending time with their pack out in the great outdoors. But just like some humans love it, and some humans hate it, you should take your time and consider whether or not it truly is a good fit for your dog. And when camping with canines, you also need to make sure you take the time to prepare and pack properly to ensure your trip is fun and safe. Should you take your dog camping? It may sound like a good idea